26th March 2020

As we’d been to shops yesterday and I’ve been stocking up gradually we didn’t need to go today. I found avoiding people and the way some people have no idea about distancing quite stressful as well.

We decided our daily exercise would be to Bushy Park. We took the longer route over the railway bridge to avoid narrow walkways and enclosed spaces. It took sometime to get there as we kept having to step into the road or cross altogether to avoid people. We then had to wait to enter the park as so many people congregate by the gates. Once in it was fairly easy to move around and it was a lovely day. The empty car park cars in Bushy and Richmond park have now been banned) was amazing and actually quite nice! Toilets are also all closed. We walked around the outside of the Pheasantry and back out the gates but it took a good few minutes to get out and avoid people congregating there.

I tried Hester’s recipe for smoked salmon frittata this evening which I thought was very nice and a massive fruit salad for dessert while we can still get fresh fruit.

Then two main events - firstly logging onto my photo club Zoom session and then before we started taking part in the 8.00pm ‘Clap for the NHS’. Everyone up and down the country did it and it was heartening to see all our neighbours joining in and to hear the clapping far away.

Back to my Zoom session which was really successful and we think we’re the first photo club in the country to attempt such a thing and at one point there were 69 attendees. I got 8.5 for my Menorcan horse but only 6.5 for my Highland cow - a bit harsh I thought!

Final thought - some people still have not grasped what we are doing as one set of neighbours who shall remain nameless had their son, his partner and their child visit. What part of this do they not get? I’ve also developed a strange rash on the backs of my hands from excessive washing and an allergic reaction I think.